WASHINGTON, DC - SMALL ISLAND STATES like St. Kitts-Nevis and developing nations such as Pakistan are at the forefront of the growing challenges of Climate Change, and they are letting their voices be heard on the global stage.
They now have the support of the Indus Consortium Pakistan - a Non-Governmental umbrella group of 65 Civil Society Organizations - to help raise awareness of the growing challenges they are facing on a daily basis because of the effects more developed countries, such as the United States and China, have caused due their large carbon footprints.
It is for this reason Fiza Qureshi and her team protested outside the International Monetary Fund/World Bank Spring Meetings to draw more attention to the issues plaguing those countries.
“We are here today to protest that fossil gas should not be the transition fuel. This is the message we are giving through our demonstration and protest to the World Bank and IFIs (International Financial Institutions): that you should not use that gas and align with the Paris Climate Agreement. Climate Justice really urges this: gas should not be the transition fuel” the Operations Manager told SKNVibes News at the IMF Headquarters.
Last year, Pakistan had nearly 1,800 people killed from floodings and more than R$5 Trillion in damage, both at the infrastructure and economic levels, resulting from flooding over a five-month period, according to media reports out of Karachi.
It is for this reason Qureshi is lamenting the challenges fossil fuel and methane are playing in destroying the environment, and is championing the call for more stringent measures to be taken to combat the problem at all levels, as the gasses are likely to remain in the atmosphere for longer periods.
Environmental officials have for years been lamenting the impact of Climate Change on all aspects of lives and livelihood, from extended dry periods, floodings and depleted crop production and health implications, to economic implications, among other issues.
St. Kitts and Nevis
St. Kitts and Nevis is being challenged by changing climatic conditions, which have resulted in unseasonable rainfall, drought-like conditions and more frequent and stronger hurricanes.
This has prompted environmental and government officials to switch to more greener options as a means to reduce the Federation’s climate footprint - though it is just a small fraction of the global emission.
Just recently Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew highlighted St. Kitts and Nevis’ position when it comes to Climate Change and renewable energy, articulating an ambitious goal at a recently-held discussion at the International Monetary Fund.
“One of the most difficult challenges we are forced to confront is the threat posed by climate change, and efforts to adapt and mitigate the deleterious effects resulting from global warming… it is no secret that Saint Kitts and Nevis stands among the nations most heavily reliant on fossil fuels. In fact, 95 percent of our energy is derived from diesel. This is a reality that we consider unsustainable, undesirable, and unacceptable,” stressed Dr. Drew to the IMF Western Hemisphere Acting Director and regional Leaders.
He added: “In Saint Kitts and Nevis, we are blessed with an abundance of sunshine to generate solar power, wind, and geothermal energy reserves, particularly on the island of Nevis. We have actively considered all three of these renewable energy sources, and are at an advanced stage of rolling out concrete proposals which are transformational in nature, redounding to the overall benefit of our people...we are convinced that exploring opportunities for green energy alternatives will lead to lower energy prices.”
Dr. Drew's comments come ahead of the start of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season that is expected to start in just over a month, and is expected to be below normal with approximately 11-15 named storms. But as disaster officials across the region remind, the region is susceptible to severe impacts from heavy rainfall and tropical storms, not just hurricanes.
Being on the frontline of the changing climatic conditions has devastating implications for the region, as reminded in 2017 when Dominica, Puerto Rico, Barbuda, among othes, were battered by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
In 2020, Hurricane Dorian reportedly caused US$3.4B in damage to the Bahamas, resulting in 74 deaths and a further 282 persons still missing. In that case, the storm sat on the island chain for hours, moving at snail's pace - one mile per hour forward speed.
That highlights the challenge Small Island States continue to face even though their carbon footprint remains small or nonexistent, but face the brunt of the loss and damage from natural disasters.
This was an issue raised during COP 26 and saw the establishment of the Loss and Damage Fund, but concerns are raised over the funding from the major emitters.
“The Loss and Damage Fund is developed but it should be mechanized so that this emergency fund could be released as early as possible to countries like Pakistan,” noted the Operations Manager.
While highlighting that Pakistan’s carbon emission is only at a mere 0.8 percent, yet it is one of those countries severely affected, Qureshi reminded that her country is deemed as the seventh most vulnerable one to Climate Change, stressing that it is “because of the developed countries that we are facing the catastrophic floods, we are facing the heat waves”.
The Operations Manager called on Small Island States like those in the Caribbean to continue to hold firm on their position while coming forward to give the same message to the international financial institutions on the impacts of Climate Change.
Climate Change was a hot button topic discussed during numerous panels and closed door forums with policy makers.
Discussions will likely continue in October when leaders and policy makers at the IMF/World Banks levels and Finance Ministers meet again in Morocco for the Annual Meetings.
